BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Feb 19.2018 – COMMISSIONER of Police, Ian Queeley has confirmed that Constable Zaviel Jeffers, was today charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of 17-year-old Philo Wallace in Nevis in 2015.
As SKNVibes News has been reporting, at approximately 3:45 a.m. on Saturday, October 17, 2015, there was an altercation at Enrique’s Bar in Cedar Trees, Charlestown, Nevis, which resulted in Wallace being shot, and the police officer suffering an injury to his head.
Wallace was subsequently rushed to the Alexandra Hospital where he was pronounced dead half an hour later. The officer, who was off-duty at the time, reportedly used his service firearm in the incident.
Following the shooting, the Police High Command at the time informed that investigations would be conducted by the Violent Crimes Unit and the Office of Professional Standards.
That has resulted in a more than two-year-long investigation into the incident. This is the first time charges have been laid.
However, Director of Public Prosecution, Valston Graham last year recommended that the officer be charged, despite a Coroner’s Inquest that described the death as a “justifiable homicide”.
More as information becomes available.
